Whats the best graphics card for a SAM Flex?

Hi all

Whats the best graphics card I can use in a SAM Flex. Currently I have a SAM440 Flex @ 733Mhz with a PCI Radeon 9250 128MB. I dont feel its lacking but I saw this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product ... a8d6e6a8deb6efdaa4619222a

Now thats much better than my Radeon so Id like to know if it will work

Thanks,
Taj

This card is currently above what is supported...

everything in the ATI range that is listed on wikipedia
with 4xxx numbering or earlier appears to have support
but the 5xxx numbering I have already bought and you are
currently looking at is still not yet properly supported.

If you buy it then you will be taking your own chances on
the issue of compatability is completely in your own hands.

I'm willing to accept the possible partial support if any,
along with needing to submit questions that may not be
answered due to NDA restrictions.

so you may want to find the highest 4xxx rating card with
an equal amount of memory.

anyway... take everything I have said and lookup the Radeon
Picasso96 driver compatability listing on hdrlab.org.nz

EDIT: fixed the URL

Does it matter that my SAM is PCI and the 460 and x1000 are PCIe? Im only just getting into OS4 so Im just curious about all this at the moment, anything to squeeze an extra bit of performance out of it! LOL!

the PCI and PCIe-16 slottings is only a speed difference in the motherboard and card talking to each other...

when it comes to the chip on the card using video memory...
that doesn't really change (the PCI/PCI-E is system access)

the PCI slot will only dictate the maximum read/write
transfer to/from the graphics card and not much else that I know about.

@Tajmaster
You will have difficulty finding a better *PCI* card for the Sam440 Flex. PCI-Express cards will NOT fit.

Anyway, Radeon 92x0 are currently the best cards if you want 3D support. Eventually Radeon 46x0 & similar should get 3D support, but not at the moment.

Thanks for the response fellas

Im aware of the differences between PCI and PCIe, what I meant was does the driver care whether its plugged into either interface? Im sticking with the 9250 for now, Im just settling in with the SAM so Ill be posting many more n00b questions! LOL! Thanks again

BTW Chris, Ive got Update 4 with RunInUAE, brilliant work mate!! And THANK YOU, its really essential to anything next generation that wants to have anything to do with the name Amiga

I had the same question at beginning (i have a Sam Flex 800 at home) and i can say that:

Eventually i suggest you to try a Radeon 9000 PCI altrough sadly it's a bit hard to find ..

Consider that a Sam440ep 667 Mhz with M9 chip (the equivalent of a Radeon 9000) is actually faster on any 3D games than a SamFlex 800 Mhz with a standard Radeon 9250!

So there are big difference between the Radeon 9000 and the slower 9250 ... so since we wait for Mesa/Gallium (for using the new HD cards) if you find a 9000 at good price buy it !

Quote:

As author of the RadeonHD driver, I can guarantee that Radeon HD 5xxx cards and higher will not work. They are not supported at this point in time, and Picasso96 won't even attempt to load any drivers for them (they're not in the list).

For Sam flex owners the current recommendation is still to go for a Radeon 9000 (the pro model, if you can find it) or, failing that, a Radeon 9250. The RadeonHD.chip driver is currently only available to Sam460ex an A1-X1000 users, and the 3D drivers aren't done yet.

Hans

So the 9000 Pro is actually faster than the 9250??!

Is there any planned support for other ATi PCI-based cards for SAM users?

I've AGP Radeon9000pro on my Pegasos2 and was a lot faster than old 9250!!!!

If you can found one get it! :D

Is this the right type:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Ati-Rad ... ds_TW&hash=item3f06d731e5

I think the one pictured is a 5v card so I would email him and ask him to confirm if its 3.3v if its the right type of card?

One other question is, I would have thought (by the numbering) that a 9250 is faster, why is the 9000 the better card??

dunno for the voltage...
Buit the card seems the right one :)

9000pro was faaaster than 9250 since its 128bit and faster DAC.

Quote:

It is 5v card.

if you managed to find 128-bit 9250 than you are in business but this card is just a cut down version (low end) therefore most of the one you can find new are 64-bit (like the one I bought !)

How can I tell if mines 64bit or 128bit? I take it you are referring to the memory?

Quote:

no, not the graphic memory/RAM in Mbytes or Mo but the Memory Bus Width.

A Radeon 9000 Pro is 128-bits (8.8GB/s) whereas the Radeon 9250 is coming in 64-bits (slower data transfer) or 128-bits version (faster but less than a 9000 Pro).
transfer speed for the 9250 is between 2.7 and 6.4 GB/s depending whether you have the 64 or the 128-bits.

Usually it is written on the box that comes with the card. On mine, it says Sapphire PCI Radeon 9250, 128MB DDr memory 64-bits.

Ahh, mines 64bit It matters little however, I got a new case for my SAM and it needs a low profile graphics card so Im on the look out for a suitable ATi Radeon now :) Ill be sure to look for a 128Bit 9000 Pro if I can find one.

I bought this card:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/32081699266 ... _trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

To go into my new case:

http://www.cclonline.com/product/5894 ... -Micro-ATX-Tower/CAS0421/